Lighter than Lasagna Soup

We made this recipe for a quick weeknight meal.  It delivered a ton of flavor without all of the calories! During this time of year I'll find any reason to use my Dutch oven to make a lot of leftovers for serve-and-go lunches!

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 pound Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 (32-ounce) container chicken broth
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
4 ounces broken whole-wheat lasagna noodles (about 4 noodles)
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
3 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup reduced-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
8 Whole-wheat breadsticks or grissini (optional)

Instructions:

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large nonstick saucepot or Dutch oven. Add the sausage, onion, bell pepper, and garlic. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until the sausage is crumbled and browned, 8 – 10 minutes.

Add the broth, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, salt, and crushed red pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the flavors are blended, about 20 minutes. Add the noodles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the soup thickens slightly and the noodles are tender, 10 – 12 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in mozzarella, basil, and the Parmesan. Serve with the breadsticks. 

Source: thedeenbros.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 

Still loving Fall and finding ANY reason to incorporate pumpkin into my cooking and baking!  These were so easy to make with ingredients I already had in my kitchen.  The recipe made a lot so I ended up giving some away too!

Pumpkin-Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1 cup white sugar
1/2 brown sugar
1 egg yolk
1 cup chocolate chips (I used milk chocolate but would prefer dark if I had it)

Preheat oven to 350F.

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.  Set aside.  Cream together butter, pumpkin puree, sugars and egg yolk.  Mix in dry ingredients until just combined.  Fold in Chocolate chips.

Form dough into golf ball-sized balls and arrange on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Bake 12-15 minutes or until golden on the edges.  Allow to cool for a few minutes before removing from baking sheet.

Recipe from: http://foodologie.com/2011/10/27/pumpkin-chocolate-chip-cookies/

Sunday Football and Crock-Pot Carnitas

It was a beautiful Fall day in North Carolina.  We went for a nice bike ride before sitting down to watch some football.   I found this recipe on Pinterest and decided to throw it in the Crock-Pot for a Sunday fun-day meal!  When we got back from our ride, our place smelled wonderful and it was game time!

There are so many optional toppings you can put on your carnita for different flavors.  We really liked ours best with avocado, red onion, monterrey jack cheese and taco sauce.  We also used the artisan corn tortillas and thought the texture was more authentic than just flour tortillas.

It paired perfectly with a cold Corona Light and made a ton of leftovers.  It would be a great recipe to make for a party, and easy too!  You could throw it all together and then focus on your guests while the Crock-Pot does the cooking.

Crock-Pot Carnitas Recipe:

3-4 lb. pork tenderloin

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tsp olive oil

1 tsp salt

½ tsp pepper

1 tsp cumin

1 orange, juiced

1½ cup cilantro, snipped

1 cup salsa (use any type you like...I used Chi-Chi's Mild Original)

1/4 cup chicken broth

¼ cup tequila (or beer.  I used Corona Light)

1 can (4oz) chopped mild green chilies (you could go with spicier to add heat)

12  tortillas (your preference)

optional toppings: fresh cilantro, sliced avocado, tomato, lettuce, shredded cheese, red onion

Place pork in crockpot. Sprinkle with garlic, oil, salt, pepper and cumin. Top with cilantro, salsa, broth, tequila, green chilies, and juice from one orange.

Cover and cook on low for about 6-8 hours. Shred pork with two forks and continue to cook until heated through.

Serve on a tortilla with all the fixings. Enjoy!

Adapted from: http://www.shugarysweets.com/2011/03/crockpot-carnitas.html

Toast, bacon, egg and cheese muffin cups

I heart making breakfast!  My favorite time of the week is when I can spend some time on Saturday mornings and make something other than yogurt for Nick and I.  We enjoy a big cup of coffee, sit outside on the balcony, and just take the morning in slowly.  I wish every morning during the week could start like this but there's just not enough time!

Thanks to Martha Stewart,  I came across this recipe and knew it was so easy I had to try it!  I made a couple of modifications, but you can view the original recipe here.  Rather than using a standard muffin pan, I used an extra large muffin pan.  Since I used the bigger muffin cups, I didn't have to cut the bread.  Also, I added a quarter of a piece of cheese on the bottom of the bread because we love bacon, egg, and CHEESE!  Next time, I will try to use bread that is more fresh because I think it can cook quickly and the bread gets a little stiff if it's slightly stale.

Toast, bacon, egg, and cheese muffin cups

Source: marthastewart.com via Sarah on Pinterest

Ingredients

3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
6 slices white or whole-wheat sandwich bread
6 slices pre-cooked bacon
2 slices cheddar cheese
6 large eggs
Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Lightly butter 6 large muffin cups.  Press bread into the bottom of each muffin cup making sure the bread comes up to the edge of the cup.  Patch any gaps by pinching the bread together.  Brush bread with remaining butter.

Microwave bacon, about 30-45 seconds, until almost crisp.  (It will continue to cook in the oven).  Quarter cheese and lay it on the bottom of the bread.  Lay 1 bacon slice in each bread cup and crack an egg over each.  Season with salt and pepper.  Bake until egg whites are just set, 20 minutes.  Run a small knife around cups to loosen toasts.  Serve immediately.

Voila!  Here was our delicious breakfast and it was so easy to make!  Enjoy!

Banana Pumpkin Bread

I love making pumpkin bread this time of year.  My favorite part is the way the smell turns my condo into pumpkin heaven.  I've been using a standard pumpkin bread recipe for years, but sometimes it can be a little bit dry.  I had some very ripe bananas so I started digging for a recipe that would use both pumpkin and bananas.  The combination was a match made in heaven!  This turned out to be a very moist banana pumpkin bread!


Also, I didn't have allspice so I substituted 1/4 tsp of nutmeg and cinnamon.

(Recipe for 2 Loaves)

• 1 cup applesauce (unsweetened)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 2 ripe bananas, peeled and mashed (1 cupful)
• 1 1/2 cups canned unsweetened pumpkin
• 4 eggs, slightly beaten

• 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped 

Heat the oven to 350°F.  Butter two 8- by 4- by 2-inch loaf pans.

Using a wooden spoon, beat the applesauce and sugars together in a large bowl.  Add the mashed banana, pumpkin, eggs, and keep beating until well blended.

Sift all the dry ingredients, except the raisins and pecans, together in a separate bowl.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet mix.  Stir just long enough until all the dry ingredients are absorbed.  Stir in the pecans.

Divide the batter evenly between the two pans.  BAKE for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick or knife is inserted in the middle and comes out clean.  The top should be golden brown and cracked.  Cool on a rack for 10 minutes before attempting to remove it from the pan.  Cool completely before slicing. (Although I couldn't wait and sliced it warm!)

Serve right away or double wrap in plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.  Or give one to a friend!

Recipe adapted from: Simple Daily Recipes

Pesto and Chicken Stuffed Shells

As I mentioned earlier, I have an insane amount of basil on my patio so I have a lot of pesto on hand!  We've been enjoying all of the pasta with the pesto and tonight I found another dish to use it in.  I found this recipe on Pinterest, from Joelen's cooking blog and I made some slight modifications. It was simple to make and delicious!  


Of course, I used homemade pesto since I had some on hand.  I also added mascarpone cheese since I had some leftover from a previous recipe.  Be careful with the salt because depending on how you make or use pesto, there may already be enough salt in the dish.  I added pasta sauce to the bottom of the baking pan and drizzled on top to keep the shells moist.


Pesto and Chicken Stuffed Shells


Ingredients


12-16 jumbo pasta shells
water for boiling pasta
4oz cream cheese, softened
4oz mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan or Asiago cheese + 1/4 cup for topping
3 tablespoons prepared pesto (homemade or store bought)
2 cups shredded rotisserie or cooked chicken
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar pasta sauce, your preference
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In a large pot over high heat, boil water and prepare pasta shells as directed on package. Cook pasta shells only until al dente. The pasta will finish cooking when the dish is baked. Drain the pasta shells and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the rest of the ingredients, except the 1/4 cup of cheese for the topping.  Spread a thin layer of pasta sauce on the bottom of a casserole dish.  Fill the pasta shells with the filling and place in a baking dish.  
• Drizzle pasta sauce over the shells.  Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 cup of cheese over filled shells.  Bake shells uncovered for 30 minutes or until shells are bubbling hot and cheese melts.

   

   

Basil = Pesto & Pesto = Love

This year, I tried my hand at growing herbs!  I have to say, growing them on a condo balcony has not been easy.  But my motivation was to make even more dishes using fresh herbs and you KNOW how much that can run you at the grocery store.  This $10 basil plant has been worth it's weight in gold.  Not only has it given me a TON of basil for all sorts of dishes, but it looks nice on my patio too :).





For dinner tonight, I made tortellini with fresh pesto sauce. And the results were delicious!

To make the pesto:

2 Cups fresh basil leaves, packed
1/4 Cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1/2 Cup Olive oil
3 tablespoons pine nuts
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/2 tsp salt

Place basil leaves in small batches in food processor and whip until well chopped (do about 3/4 cup at a time).  Add about 1/3 the nuts and garlic, blend again.  Add about 1/3 of the Parmesan cheese; blend while slowly adding about 1/3 of the olive oil, stopping to scrape down sides of container.
Process basil pesto until it forms a thick smooth paste.  Repeat until all ingredients are used, mix all batches together well.  Serve over pasta.

Basil pesto keeps in refrigerator one week, or freeze for a few months.


Spoon it onto store bought, refrigerated cheese tortellini, such as Buitoni.  Enjoy!


How easy was that?!  And if you need any basil, I'm only too HAPPY to give you some!

Mint Brownies

I am a lover of desserts especially those with mint flavors.  I just had to try this recipe, and I knew Nick would love it too since he is a big mint fan.  I made this for the Fall wreath party because it makes plenty to share!

BYU Mint Brownies

BROWNIE
1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.)

MINT ICING
5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.




Here's the finished product:

*Note, after I made this rather large recipe.  I realized I could probably HALF the recipe next time if I don't want to eat brownies for weeks.  Also, I bet it would be just as good using a box mix with applesauce instead of oil (to cut the calories) and then just add the mint icing as directed.  Just a couple of after thoughts worth mentioning!

The BEST Panini

I was watching the Food Network one morning and saw Giada make these.  They were so easy that I made them that afternoon to take on the boat and everyone just raved about them!  For some reason, I couldn't find the recipe online, and the originals I made were from memory since I just watched the show.  At last, I have found the long lost panini recipe and am only to happy to share it with you so you can see what you think!

This panini is different because it's made with croissants.  The buttery croissant means you don't need any type of sauce or dressing, and it pairs perfectly with the smoky cheese, earthy arugula, and salty salami!  ENJOY!

Ingredients

• 4 croissants, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise
• 4 ounces smoked Gouda, grated (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 8 teaspoons grated Parmesan
• 4 ounces Genoa salami (about 24 slices)
• 5 ounces arugula

Directions

Heat a panini grill. Divide 1-ounce (1/3 cup) smoked Gouda between 1 top and 1 bottom of a croissant. Sprinkle each half with 1 teaspoon Parmesan. Top each side with about 3 slices of Genoa salami (about 1 ounce of salami per sandwich, total.) Top 1 half of the sandwich with a small handful of arugula. Close the sandwich and continue with the remaining sandwiches. Grill the panini until the cheese melts, about 3 to 4 minutes.

Cut each sandwich into thirds. Place the remaining arugula on a serving platter. Place the warm sandwich slices on the arugula. Serve hot.

Recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis

Black Bean Pizza

My new favorite magazine with recipes lately can be found in Fitness Magazine. We made this pizza the other night and LOVED the results. You've GOTTA try it too!



INGREDIENTS
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup thawed frozen corn kernels

4 plum tomatoes, chopped into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 cup chopped scallions

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 avocado, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

16 ounces pizza dough, regular or whole-wheat

1 cup finely shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. and place an empty baking sheet on the middle rack.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the blackbeans, corn, tomatoes, scallions, cumin, chili powder, avocado, salt and black pepper; set aside.

3. Working on a lightly floured surface, roll the pizza dough into a 13-inch circle. Transfer to warmed baking sheet and crimp the edges slightly to form a lip at the edge of the crust. Top with black bean mixture, sprinkle with the cheese and bake 20 minutes or until crust is golden brown. Cut into 8 slices and serve.

*Photo courtesy of Fitness Magazine

Hawaiian Pulled Pork Sandwiches

This is a GREAT new crock pot recipe dish I found! We made it when we were having company over because it frees up the oven to make additional side dishes. It's so simple and such a hit!

from Sandra Lee (www.semihomemade.com)
Ingredients
Makes: 4 servings
Cook: 8 hours
• 1 packet teriyaki marinade (recommended: McCormick Grill Mates)
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
• 3 1/2 pounds pork shoulder
• 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 1 cup chili sauce
• 1 (6-ounce) can pineapple juice
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 8 hamburger rolls
HAWAIIAN SAUCE:
• 2 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic, chopped

Directions
1. In small bowl, combine teriyaki mix, paprika and pepper.
2. Coat the pork the with rub mixture, patting until all rub is used. Set aside.
3. In a bowl whisk together the chicken broth, brown sugar, soy sauce, chili sauce and pineapple juice. Set aside.
4. Put the chopped onions and carrots in a 5-quart slow cooker. Place the pork on top of the carrots and onions and pour half of the pineapple juice mixture over pork. Reserve remainder for Hawaiian sauce. Cover and cook on low for 7 to 8 hours. The meat should fall apart easily. Remove the roast from the slow cooker to a cutting board. Using 2 forks carefully pull the meat into shreds. Serve the pork on rolls drizzled with the Hawaiian sauce or on the side for dipping. Reserve the remaining pulled pork for the Round 2 Recipes, Pulled Pork Pot Stickers and Hawaiian Pizza.
HAWAIIAN SAUCE:
In a medium pot heat the oil over medium heat. Add garlic and ginger and saute until soft, about 2 minutes. Add the remaining pineapple juice mixture, bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

No Boil Lasagna

I love making lasagna in the Fall and Winter months. This recipe is super easy because you don't have to fuss with hot noodles! You could easily make some variations to the recipe by adding vegetables, making homemade tomato sauce, or adding different ingredients. The KEY is to make the lasagna to your liking, cover tightly with tin foil, and then bake!

Ingredients:3 cans of Hunts Four Cheese tomato sauce
3 Tb of chopped fresh parsley
1 lb extra lean ground beef
½ lb or 3 links (casings removed) mild Italian sausage
1 box uncooked lasagna noodles
1 16oz. container of part skim ricotta
4 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
½ cup grated parmesan cheese
2 large eggs


Directions:Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a bowl, combine ricotta, Parmesan cheese and eggs; mix well.
On bottom of a 15x9 inch greased baking dish (or nonstick lasagna pan) spread 2 cups of pasta sauce. Top with half of each of the lasagna noodles, ricotta cheese mixture, meat/sausage, remaining pasta sauce and mozzarella. Repeat layering.
Top lasagna with remaining mozzarella cheese, sprinkle of parmesan, and parsley.
Cover dish tightly with foil and place pan on cookie sheet; bake 1 hour or until hot and bubbly.
Let stand covered 15 minutes before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Chicken Parmesan Burgers

My co-worker originally shared this recipe with me and we have made it over and over again.  The flavors are wonderful and it is so easy to make.  I typically form the patties the night before and let the flavors marinate.  Then when I get home from work, I throw it on the grill pan.  Top with jar pasta sauce, pair it with a side salad, and you've got a quick weeknight meal!

Photo and Recipe courtesy of annies-eats.com



Chicken Parmesan Burgers
Ingredients:
(For the burgers)
1 lb. ground chicken
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
3 tbsp. chopped flat leaf parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, finely diced
Salt and pepper

(For serving)
Pasta sauce
Mozzarella or provolone cheese (sliced or shredded)
Sauteed mushrooms (optional) or sauteed green peppers (optional)
4 hamburger buns

Directions:
In a medium bowl combine all of the ingredients for the burgers. Mix well until thoroughly combined. Form the mixture into 4 patties. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle.
Preheat the broiler. Spray the broiler pan with cooking spray. (Alternatively, cook the burgers on an outdoor grill or grill pan.) Broil the burgers for 4-6 minutes on one side, then flip and broil for 4-6 more minutes on the other side until fully browned and cooked through. Remove from the oven, top each burger with pasta sauce and cheese. Place back under the broiler for 30-60 seconds until the cheese is melted. Top with sauteed mushrooms if desired, and serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Source: Picture from annies-eats, recipe adapted from Elly Says Opa!

Shrimp and Grits Casserole

Shrimp and Grits Casserole
from Cooking Light

Ingredients2 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup uncooked quick-cooking grits
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons butter
1 (3-ounce) package 1/3-less-fat cream cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 large egg whites
1 pound peeled and deveined medium shrimp, coarsely chopped
Cooking spray
Hot pepper sauce (optional)

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 375°.
2. Combine milk and broth in a medium heavy saucepan; bring to a boil. Gradually add grits and salt to pan, stirring constantly with a whisk. Cook 5 minutes or until thick, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in Parmesan, butter, and cream cheese. Stir in parsley and next 4 ingredients (through shrimp). Spoon mixture into an 11 x 7–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375° for 25 minutes or until set. Serve with hot pepper sauce, if desired.

My Most Requested Recipe

This divine dish was found in the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade Cookbook. It has been an absolute staple when making dinner for friends and family or for special occasions. It is incredibly easy, yet impressive! It is important not to substitute the filet mignon for another type of meat. The filet is the perfect cut of beef with its tenderness and flavor. ENJOY!

Seared Beef Tenderloin with Blackberry-Merlot SauceFrom the Sandra Lee Semi-Homemade cooking made light cookbook

Ingredients:Olive oil cooking spray
4 4 oz. beef tenderloin steaks
½ tablespoon salt-free all purpose seasoning, McCormick
½ cup Merlot or other red wine
½ cup blackberry preserves
½ teaspoon crushed garlic
Fresh blackberries (optional)
Fresh chives, sliced (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.
2. Coat a large skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Sprinkle both sides of steaks with all-purpose seasoning. Place steaks in skillet. Cook for 2 minutes on each side. Remove skillet from heat and transfer steaks to prepared baking sheet.
3. Roast steaks in preheated oven for 4 minutes for medium rare (145 degrees F) or 6 minutes for medium (160 degrees F).
4. For sauce, return skillet to heat and de-glaze with half of the wine by scraping bits from bottom of skillet. Return to medium-high heat and add remaining wine, blackberry preserves, and garlic. Bring to a boil; reduce heat. Simmer until mixture is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Serve sauce with steaks. Garnish with blackberries and chives (optional).

Crock-Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken

Crock-Pot Shredded BBQ Chicken
(Serves 12)

4 lbs split chicken breasts, boneless 1 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
1 large sweet onion, sliced ¼ Cup cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, sliced 1 tsp ground red pepper flakes
1 10 ¾ can condensed tomato soup ¼ cup water (add towards end of cooking)
¼ Cup brown sugar, packed

• Spray lining of slow cooker with nonstick cooking spray
• Layer 2/3 of onion slices and all slices of garlic at the bottom
• Layer the chicken breasts and top with additional onion slices
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients and pour over chicken
• Lift the breasts to allow some sauce to escape to the bottom of the slow cooker
• Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours
• Shred chicken with two forks and remove onion slices
• Return chicken to slow cooker to reheat
• Serve on buns
• Goes great with cornbread or corn souffle

*Add more ketchup if you prefer a thicker sauce.